Grant will cover ‘bottles only’ recycling bins in cafeteria, educational material
Staff Reports
The Florida Beverage Association and the American Beverage Foundation awarded Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) a $3,500 grant to encourage better recycling habits in the district’s 22 high schools and their 61,000 students.
The money will pour into the installation of “bottles only” recycling bins in many high school cafeterias across the district. These bins are expected to contain 70,000 plastic bottles per year. The grant will also go toward the creation of educational materials like signs, posters and videos to drum up awareness of this new recycling opportunity.
“We’re incredibly grateful for this grant,” David Klawitter, OCPS sustainability manager, said in a May 14 statement. “This grant will allow us to bring recycling into cafeterias, capture more plastic bottles and get closer to our goal of diverting 75% of our solid waste from landfill by 2030.”
Located in St. Augustine, the Florida Beverage Association represents companies that make, market, bottle and distribute non-alcoholic beverages. The American Beverage Foundation “seeks to make a significant contribution to the health of local communities by providing grants to support organizations that work to advance both the physical health of their citizens and the environmental health of their communities,” the foundation’s website states.
“Our industry is working hard to improve recycling of our valuable containers, including our PET plastic bottles.” Elizabeth DeWitt, president and CEO of the Florida Beverage Association, said in a news release. “Supporting our local community, and particularly our youth, is a critical part of that effort and we’re thrilled to play a role.”
The Apopka Chief is an award-winning weekly newspaper serving the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923.
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